Ten thousand years ago, the Lion was a golden-haired man in his prime; now, ten thousand years later, he is completely white-haired. The Custodes present found it odd to see the Primarch so aged.
Why hadn't the Dark Angels placed their Primarch in stasis, like Ultramar did? Now, the Lion's physical age should be over fifty-five in human terms. Time hadn't stopped for him—it really had been ten thousand years.
He'd aged from thirty to over fifty, but that was no big issue. The Lion had received a special Primarch upgrade, and after merging with the Cosmic Beast, his condition would improve. He would regain the power of his youth.
"It's been ten thousand years! He's slept here since the end of the Great Heresy. Our gene-father has grown old," Azrael sighed.
The Lion's slumber inside the Rock was known only to successive Grand Masters; many outsiders had guessed, but all such speculation was brutally suppressed by the Dark Angels. Any who dared to probe their secrets were eliminated. That threat was once supreme—now, it seemed a joke. Today, the Dark Angels had been wiped out and forced to reveal even their deepest secrets!
Even the Fallen Angels they had worked so hard to capture were taken away by these invaders!
"This is definitely the First Primarch! My brothers, take Lord Lion El'Jonson and leave," Ultraman stepped forward, checked the unconscious Primarch, and nodded to several Custodes.
He didn't want to ask any more questions. These Dark Angels were nuts. The Ultramarines had done something similar, and at least prepared a safe place for their Primarch, ready for future resurrection. Not let their gene-father grow old and possibly die of old age.
These Dark Angels were seriously disturbed; the First Legion needed serious reformation.
Several Custodes produced a giant iron box, made specifically for the Primarch, to protect and carry him conveniently. They quickly moved together and placed the Lion inside.
"Why didn't you put him in a stasis field?" Ultraman asked curiously.
"We must protect the Primarch, but using stasis would likely reveal his presence. Can our Primarch really wake up?" Azrael replied.
He'd wondered the same when he first became Grand Master, but after more than ten thousand years, no one had bothered to prepare a stasis field. Now, the gene-father had become an old man.
"Of course! Don't worry—the Lion El'Jonson will soon awaken," Ultraman said.
His mission complete, it was time to leave. As for these Dark Watchers, their location would be reported to the Emperor. If the Emperor disapproved, Exterminatus could be ordered on the Rock.
"Wait, envoys of the Emperor! We have another prisoner for you to take. He is extremely important to the Lion El'Jonson," a Dark Watcher said.
"I've received no such order. The Emperor only told us to bring the First Primarch and all Dark Angels back to Holy Terra," a Custodian rejected.
"He is also a Dark Angel—the only one you missed in the Rock," the Watcher insisted.
"Who is it?" Ultraman asked.
If it were the old days, the Custodes would just finish off these small, hooded creatures after the mission. But now the Emperor was willing to negotiate with Xenos willing to cooperate, so he was curious who this special person was.
"No! Don't say his name, don't mention that sinner! He should be locked up here forever!" Azrael suddenly became agitated; even with all limbs cut off, he struggled to sit up, glaring furiously at the Watcher.
He knew exactly who they meant. He was indeed a Dark Angel—but the greatest sinner of all. He was unworthy to leave the Rock. Other Fallen might be forgiven, but not him!
"You're this generation's Azrael. Every Azrael torments Luther. But he was also a victim—he was misled by Chaos, but turned back in the end," a Watcher sighed.
Every Dark Angels Grand Master, the Supreme Grand Master, was titled Azrael. But this Azrael was unique. Caliban had three artifacts, one of which could travel through time. The destruction of Caliban had many causes—the main culprit was this Azrael before them.
It was a misunderstanding spanning ten thousand years! If Luther was guilty of unforgivable crimes, then what about you, who destroyed Caliban?
Ezekiel, the Librarian, knew the truth, but did not tell the Grand Master, fearing he couldn't handle it.
"Whatever the case, he betrayed the Primarch! Betrayed the Imperium! He alone is unworthy of the Lion's forgiveness," Azrael shouted.
"Are you talking about Luther? The Lion's right hand, the one he trusted most?" Ultraman asked.
Unlike the new Custodes, he came from ten thousand years ago and knew the history. Luther was vital to the Dark Angels, maintaining Caliban and supplying the Legion. He alone ensured the Lion could carry out the Great Crusade without worrying about logistics. When news came that he'd betrayed the Lion and caused his slumber, many in the Imperium couldn't believe it.
"If it's Luther, then he must be taken to Holy Terra. Once the Lion awakens, he'll face both the Lion and the Emperor's judgment," Ultraman said.
Azrael fell silent. If only judged by the Lion, he might forgive his subordinate. But if the Emperor and other Primarchs were involved, Luther was doomed.
"I agree."
"I wasn't asking for your opinion; it doesn't matter," Ultraman snorted and followed the Watcher to Luther's cell.
Inside, a 2.3-meter-tall Astartes was pulled from stasis by the Custodes.
Awakening, Luther shook his head. He'd been awakened, which meant a new Supreme Grand Master had been chosen. Another cycle—he'd be beaten and forced to repent again!
"My crimes will one day be forgiven by the Lion. I will never repent to you—only to him!"
Then Luther's eyes widened in shock at the golden-armored men before him.
This was not what he expected—many people instead of just the Grand Master. As a man from ten thousand years ago, he recognized the Custodes immediately.
He knew exactly what it meant for the Custodes to appear here. If the Lion had not returned, and only the Grand Master came, the First Legion's secrets were safe. But if the Custodes came, the Emperor knew, and the Imperium was ready to act.
His worst fear had come true. If his betrayal was pardoned by the Lion, that was an internal matter. But if it became an Imperial issue, it would be a massive stain on the Dark Angels—possibly leading to the Legion's erasure!
"You have no right to speak!" Ultraman knocked Luther out with a punch and dragged him away.
This time, the Custodes successfully left the Rock, setting course for Holy Terra via the Eldar Webway.
…
Months later, they returned, bringing the Dark Angels, the Fallen, the Lion El'Jonson, and Luther to the Emperor himself in the Imperial Palace.